DMA CEO KICKS OFF 2002 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONFERENCE - Keynote Luncheon to Highlight Issues Facing the Direct Marketing Industry
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2002 - Today, H. Robert Wientzen, president & CEO of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), opened the 2002 Annual Government Affairs conference, which is cosponsored by the Internet Alliance (IA) and The DMA Nonprofit Federation. Wientzen addressed a range of issues affecting the direct and interactive marketing industry.
"The direct and interactive marketing industry will be facing a number of battles this year and marketers need to be informed about how to sustain growth during these challenging times," said Wientzen.
"The DMA wants marketers to be aware of what's coming down the legislative pike and to learn about the resources that are available for them to take action," Wientzen continued.
Among the issues discussed, Wientzen highlighted privacy and Washington's increased focus on information sharing; the need for postal reform, and The DMA's resolve to continue pressuring Congress and the Administration to enact reform legislation; and finally, telemarketing and the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) proposal for a national do-not-call list.
The Government Affairs conference will continue through May 1, with presentations from the United States Postal Service Postmaster General John Potter, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), and number of additional influential speakers.
The DMA is the leading trade association for businesses interested in interactive and database marketing, with nearly 5,000 member companies from the United States and 53 other nations. Founded in 1917, its members include direct marketers from every business segment as well as the nonprofit and electronic marketing sectors. Included are catalogers, Internet retailers and service providers, financial services providers, book and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, retail stores, industrial manufacturers and a host of other vertical segments, including the service industries that support them. According to a DMA-commissioned study, direct and interactive marketing sales in the United States exceeded $1.86 trillion in 2001, including $118 billion in catalog sales and $30 billion in sales generated by the Internet. The DMA's Web site is
www.the-dma.org, and its consumer Web site is www.shopthenet.org.###